Brake bottom rod support



y 1936- H. E. ANDERSON 2,047,455

BRAKE BOTTOM ROD SUPPORT Filed Dec. '7, 1935 INVENTOR.

VA; M4;

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 14, 1936 BRAKE BOTTOM ROD SUPPORT Harley E. Anderson, Chicago, Ill., assignor of one-half to John H. Sharp, Chicago, Ill.

Application December 7, 1935, Serial No. 53,374

9 Claims.

My invention relates to the general class of railway car brakes and more particularly to a support for the bottom brake rod connecting the dead and live levers of the brake, and designed to prevent the accidental dropping of the rod in the event of failure of it or an associated part of the brake mechanism.

My invention has among its objects the production of a device of the kind described which is exceedingly simple, emcient, durable, compact and inexpensive to construct as well as inexpensive to install or remove.

It has among its further objects the production of a device which may be applied or installed or removed in a minimum of time and with a minimum of labor and efiort as well as a minimum number of tools, to old or new brake constructions without taking down or disconnecting any part of the brake mechanism.

It has as a further object the production of a device of the kind and for the purpose described, which is provided with its own securing means and may be readily applied and secured to and carried by the spring plank without the use of bolts, rivets, plates, or other additional fastening means and yet at the same time be firmly and positively secured. The spring plank is not weakened as would be the case if the device were attached by bolts, rivets, screws or the equivalent, and labor of drilling holes is done away with. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, it secures and maintains itself on the spring plank without noise, vibration or rattling, and without danger of accidental displacement. Its life is unlimited, since it is not subject to continuous wear, and being as easy to remove as to install, it is not subject to danger of injury in removal, inasmuch as it is sprung into place and secures itself.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown and described will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a spring plank with my improved support applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the spring plank with my device applied thereto; and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of the spring plank showing my device in elevation and also showing the bottom brake rod connecting the live and dead levers of the brake mechanism; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my improved supporting device.

Referring to the drawing, in which only one embodiment of the invention is shown, I represents the bottom brake rod which is carried by and connects the dead and live levers 2 of the brake mechanism, the heads or jaws at the ends of the connecting rod being secured to the lower 5 ends of the levers by bolts 3 or equivalent means for the purpose. Only a portionof the spring plank 4 is shown, this extending transversely the car construction below the bolster, and the rod I is disposed below the spring plank. The spring plank shown is channel shaped and consists of the body portion 4 provided with the upwardly extending side flanges 5-5 at either side. My improved support for the connecting rod I is carried by the spring plank, the support for the rod being in the nature of an auxiliary support intended to support or carry the rod only in the event of failure of the rod or an associated part of the brake mechanism and prevent the rod from dropping. I

As shown, 6 represents a torsion rod or bar provided with an open loop at each end through which the connecting rod I extends. At each end of the rod 6 the same is turned down and bent as shown at l and thence bent transversely as at 8 and extended upwardly as at 9 with the extreme end bent over as at I0 to provide the hooks II which are adapted to seat upon and engage the upwardly extending flanges 5 of the spring plank.

It will be noted by referring, particularly to Fig. 1 that the rod extends diagonally under the spring plank with the depending loops faced in opposite directions so that when the device is in operative position on the spring plank, the two loops are aligned (see Fig. 2). The support is preferably made of spring material and of a size sufficient to substantially rigidly support the connecting rod when support is necessary. In forming the loops the angle between the axis of the portion 6 and the axis of the portion 8, as shown in Fig. 1 and indicated at a, is preferably less than the angle 1) between the two axes when the device is sprung into operative position, so that the upper end of the portion 9 of the loop is maintained firmly in contact with the outside face of the flanges 5. Likewise the angle of bend of the portion 9 is such that in applying the device the portion 6 serves as a torsion bar or spring tending to maintain the hooks in secure engagement with the flanges and maintain the portion 6 firmly against the bottom of the spring plank so that it will not rattle nor shake loose. This is indicated by the angle designated as c in Fig. 2. When one side is hooked on the flange and a pinch bar or other device applied to the other or unsecured side of the loop and the hook I I at the side leg 9 is raised above the flange, the portion 9 tends to spring inwardly against the side of the flange 5 and the torsion in the rod 6, W

as well as the resiliency oi the portion 8, will pull the hook down inengagement with the flange, so that when the device is installed, it is self-securing and maintained substantially as shown in F1 3.

bviously, the device may be hooked over the connecting rod so as to bring the rod i in the loops without disconnecting the rods from the levers 2 and when the device is sprung in place on the spring plank, owing to the torsional spring effect of the portion 6 andthe resiliency of the loops, the device is firmly and substantially rigidly secured to and maintained on the spring plank. Ordinarily it is carried by the spring plank and performs no function until the rod l is accidentally dropped at one end or the other, at which time the support is immediately effective to carry the rod. The rod may be applied or removed without disassembling any part of the car construction or brake mechanism. It may be applied or removed in an instant, only requiring the use, ordinarily, of a pinch bar so as to give leverage to spring it into or out of place. It is unnecessary to use bolts, rivets or other additional fastening means and it is inexpensive to construct.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a relatively flxed member having upper side flange portions, of a supporting device comprising a pair of substantially opensided loop portions arranged in substantially parallel relation at respective opposite sides of said member, a bar connecting diagonally opposite leg portions of the respective open-sided loop portions, and securing means on the other leg portions of the respective loops adapted to engage the side flange portions of said fixed member.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a relatively fixed member having upper side edge flange portions, 01 a resilient supporting device comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped loop portions arranged in substantially parallel relation at respective opposite sides of said member and extending at the flanges, a spring bar formed integrally with and connecting diagonally opposite portions of the respective U-shaped loop portions beneath said fixed member, and inwardly extending hooks on the other leg portions of the respective loops adapted to engage the flange portions of said member.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a spring plank having upper side flange portions and the bottom brake rod of a brake mechanism, of a rod supporting device comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped resilient loop portions arranged in substantially parallel relation at respective opposite sides of the said plank and depending laterally therefrom to receive said brake rodya spring torsion bar formed integrally with and connecting diagonally opposite leg portions of the respective said U-shaped loop portions and extending beneath and contacting with said plank, and inwardly extending hooks on the other leg portions of the respective loops adapted to engage the side flange portions of said plank under the tension of said torsion bar.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination with a channel-shaped spring plank having upper side flange portions and the bottom brake rod of a brake mechanism, of an integrally formed supporting device of resilient material comprising a pair of substantially U-shaped loop portions arranged in substantially parallel relation at respective sides of said plank and depending laterally therefrom to receive said brake rod, a torsion bar beneath said plank and connecting diagonally opposite leg portions of the respective U-shaped loop portions, and inwardly extending hooks on the other leg portions of the respective loops constructed to engage the flange portions of said plank under the tension 01 said torsion bar.

5. An integrally formed bottom brake rod support of resilient material comprising a pair of laterally spaced substantially U-shaped spring loop portions arranged in substantially parallel relation with respect to each other, a spring torsion bar connecting opposite leg portions of the respective U-shaped loop portions, the other leg portions of the respective loops having securing means adjacent their respective upper free ends.

6. An integrally formed self securing bottom brake rod support comprising a pair of laterally spaced substantially U-shaped loop portions arranged in substantially parallel relation with respect to each other, a spring torsion bar connecting opposite leg portions of the respective U-shaped loop portions, the other leg portions of the respective loops having inwardly extending securing means adjacent their respective upper free ends.

7. A bottom brake rod support of resilient material comprising a pair of spaced loop portions arranged in substantially parallel relation with respect to each other, a torsion bar connecting diagonally opposite leg portions of the respective U-shaped loop portions, the other leg portions of the respective loops being inclined at an angle with respect to each other and having securing means adjacent their respective free ends.

8. An integrally formed bottom brake rod support of resilient material comprising a pair of laterally spaced substantially U-shaped loop portions arranged in substantially parallel relation with respect to each other, a spring torsion bar connecting diagonally opposite leg portions of the respective U-shaped loop portions, the other leg portions of the respective loops being inclined at an angle with respect to each other and having inwardly extending securing means adjacent their respective upper free ends.

9. The combination with a channel shaped spring plank arranged with the side flanges projected upwardly, of an integrally formed bottom brake rod support of resilient material comprising a plurality of laterally spaced substantially U-shaped loop portions arranged in substantially parallel relation with respect to each other at each side of the spring plank, a spring torsion bar extending under and contacting with the under side of the spring plank connecting diagonally opposite leg portions of the respective U-shaped loop portions, the other leg portions of the respective loops having inwardly extending hooks adjacent their respective upper free ends engaging the upper edges of the side flanges.

HARLEY E. ANDERSON. 

